Like A Dragon Gaiden (PS5) REVIEW – Same, But Shorter
Following the conclusion in Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life Many believed that Kazuma Kiryu would take time off but would return to the story for a brief occasionally just like the other popular characters. The reason for this is that the announcement of Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Changed his Name was so exciting as it saw Kiryu returning as the lead character in a narrative that explores his part of the events that occurred in Yakuza: Like A Dragon. The end result is an acceptable alternative while we look forward to Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth to be continued and perhaps eventually conclude Kazuma Kiryu’s storyline in the series. However, it could be that we’re nearing the end that we’ve become too exposed to the series.
Following his fake death in the end in Yakuza 6, the former Dragon of Dojima is now an agent for the highly secretive Daidoji faction. He is able to carry out tasks for the clan’s shadow. While they’d like to stay hidden from the public eye however, everyone, including their most trusted partner within the Japanese underground is conscious of the Daidoji but does not believe Kiryu really died. This is because they Daidoji must face the threat of another underground organization that is looking to bring back the Dragon in a new way.
When it comes to stories, Like A Dragon Gaiden is good enough, particularly due to the emotional moments that happen towards the close of the game. Additionally, the characters themselves are engaging. Homare Nishitani III joins the series’ growing cast of charming insane psychopaths. Kosei Shishido is the grouchy beast who is a fan of getting involved in fights. Kiryu’s newest partner Akame is equally great and we’re hoping to be seeing more of her in the coming years.
The issue Like A Dragon Gaiden runs into is the fact that most of the story’s plot points have already been told. This could be due to the fact that most of the story is based on events that were previously revealed from Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio have been able to cover the bulk of the story’s events in the pre-release hype (most of the finale was revealed in a stream) There’s nothing that the player can explore on their own. The motivations of characters and the travel between them haven’t been revealed however, when the endpoint has been established and the plot has been sunk, it strips the game of some of the significance.
The problem is the fact that Like A Dragon Gaiden is meant to be a more compact experience than other games from the same franchise. There are just five chapters of the game’s narrative that could be easily completed in 15 hours if aren’t distracted by diverse content available offered. A less-lengthy Like A Dragon game is an appealing idea to think about, as the game can be quite intimidating to new players. However, the future is when SEGA as well as RGG Studio would be better in removing more content in the shadows.
In terms of gameplay It’s a lot like the gameplay one might think of from the beat ’em up portion of the Like A Dragon series, but that’s not a bad thing. SEGA and RGG are able to find a formula that they like and will surely enjoy as much of the game as they can, and in a game that is so enjoyable you can’t complain. However, it’s a bit worrying to hear the creators boast about the fact that Like A Dragon Gaiden took about six months to create and you’re worried about how long the game’s gravy train will run.
